Blog: The Role ATMs Play as Ambassadors of Your Brand

ATMs are one of the most important brand ambassadors financial institutions have. Are you managing them efficiently?

ATMs are not simply cash-and-dash machines “in the branch“; they have now shifted to “as the branch” with a full function set. And they are—especially these days with local lockdowns--one of the most important brand ambassadors financial institutions (FIs) have, and one of the greatest tools bankers have at their disposal to engage, retain and grow a customer base for the digitally-enabled future of banking. Therefore, self-service plays a major role in the consumer journey and a fundamental part in consumers’ brand perception.

As the importance of the ATM and trend towards digitalization increases, so does the complexity of channel management. But how can you enhance the user experience and at the same time streamline and optimize ATM operations? How can you keep the balance between operating efficiently and creating an exceptional user experience? Even more, how can you enhance the user experience? Many FIs find themselves stuck in a dilemma between providing the new self-service capabilities consumers increasingly expect, and cutting costs wherever possible. Collaboration, partnerships and new operating models will be key as FIs re-shift priorities and begin to explore ways to leverage (self-service) automation to deliver a better experience for customers, drive out inefficiencies and create new opportunities.

Have you found the right approach to operate this channel?

Running and managing an ATM network is complex. A managed services approach based on an open ecosystem enables your organization to unlock value and new opportunities within the self-service channel. It creates a path to partnerships that are integral to building new products, services and functionality. It optimizes operations while at the same time positioning the ATM as a key physical fulfillment tool for consumer’s digital journeys.

To keep a self-service network up and running, a holistic view of the entire set of processes is mandatory. That means not only focusing on best-in-class, technically reliable and robust cash systems, but also having a detailed understanding of the entire process, including where the ATM should be located, and which hardware, software, integration and services are needed to optimize every process.

You also need to consider several compliance regulations, like regional accessibility standards and PCI for payment security compliance. Plus, you need to manage ongoing operating system updates and security fixes for hardware and software to handle sensitive data and cash. Financing and managing all of it is a heavy burden.

A managed services approach for the ATM channel exposes value in an efficient ‘cost to serve’ channel with an operating model that makes fiscal sense. Through our pay-as-you-use approach, your organization benefits:

Better reach through increased accessibility at the self-service channel, and branch digitization

Decreased TCO through connected services leveraging latest technology, along with a standardized and scaled service model

Increased customer experience through better quality of service and increased uptime and availability

The shift to an ATM operating model that is dynamic, right-sized, demand-based, focused on removing silos and connecting channels, delivers a more seamless customer experience that will help your organization remain competitive and lay the groundwork to be steps ahead with increased speed to market.

Drive enhanced business outcomes at your self-service channel with a managed services plan designed for future-focused ATM Banking. Let’s start a conversation!